Detailed Inauguration Traffic, Parking, and Pedestrian Information

Yesterday, the Presidential Inaugural Law Enforcement and Public Safety Public Affairs Subcommittee released its Joint Transportation Plan, which provides detailed traffic and parking restrictions related to the inauguration. The full plan can be download here, but I have edited the release to provide information that is particularly relevant to DC residents below (omitting MD and VA) and included some additional information on the parade route from the Secret Service. The Washington Post also reports on the extensive closures.

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Events and activities celebrating the 56th Presidential Inauguration will take place beginning on Saturday, January 17, 2009, through Wednesday, January 21, 2009, with the swearing-in scheduled for Tuesday, January 20.

This transportation plan provides the general outlines for road closures, vehicular restricted zones, public transportation, charter vehicles and pedestrian routes. Additional information is available online for residents of the District, Virginia and Maryland, as well as charter operators, through the websites listed at the end of this plan. Additions to this plan may be made prior to the Inaugural and will be updated on these websites.

Access into Washington, D.C. will be limited on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. The following is a summary of routes and their status that day:

14th Street Bridge – Restricted to Buses and Authorized Vehicles Only

Roosevelt Bridge – Restricted to Buses and Authorized Vehicles Only

Memorial Bridge – Restricted to Pedestrians and Emergency Vehicles Only

Sousa Bridge – Open to all traffic from east of the river to security checkpoint in Capitol Hill; Barney Circle closed to all vehicles

East Capitol Street – Open to all traffic but roadways around RFK will be filled with tour buses

Benning Road – Open to all traffic

New York Avenue – Open to all traffic

3rd Street Tunnel – Closed to all vehicular traffic and restricted to pedestrian use only

Authorized vehicles include taxicabs and limousines with valid licenses.

Washington, D.C. Vehicular Restrictions

Vehicle Restricted Zone: Vehicular road closures in Washington, D.C. will be instituted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Park Police. Extensive road closures and vehicle restricted zones will be established in Washington, D.C. Beginning at 3 p.m. on Monday, January 19, through 7 a.m. on Wednesday, January 21, all of the following areas will be posted as Emergency No Parking. From 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, many of these areas will be posted by law enforcement personnel and vehicular traffic will be limited to residents with government issued identification (driver’s license) or vehicle registration showing residency inside the restricted area, or to vehicles conducting essential business within the restricted area.

Daniel French Dr. SW from the Lincoln Memorial to Independence Avenue SW

Ohio Drive from Independence Avenue through West Potomac and East Potomac Parks

Buckeye Drive in East Potomac Park

West Basin Drive

East Basin Drive

Parkway Drive from Rock Creek Parkway to Lincoln Memorial Circle

Maine Avenue from East Basin Drive to Independence Avenue

Vehicular Road Closures: In addition to above listed Emergency No Parking and vehicle restricted areas, from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, the following roads will be closed and off limits to vehicles without a law enforcement escort:

Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 18th Street NW to the U S Capitol

I Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW

H Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW

G Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW

F Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW

E Street NW from 18th Street NW to 6th Street NW

D Street NW from 18th Street NW to 6th Street NW

C Street from 18th Street NW to 2nd Street NE

Constitution Avenue from 17th Street NW to 2nd Street NE

Madison Dr. NW from 15th Street NW to 3rd Street NW

Jefferson Dr. SW from 15th Street SW to 3rd Street SW

Independence Avenue from 14th Street SW to 2nd Street NE

Maryland Avenue SW from 6th Street SW to the U S Capitol

17th Street from I Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

Connecticut Avenue NW from I Street NW to H Street NW

16th Street NW from I Street NW to H Street NW

Vermont Avenue NW from I Street NW to H Street NW

15th Street from I Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

14th Street from I Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

New York Avenue NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW

13th Street NW from I Street NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW

12th Street from F Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

11th Street NW from F Street NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW

10th Street NW from F Street NW to Constitution Avenue NW

9th Street from F Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

8th Street NW from F Street NW to D Street NW

7th Street from F Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

6th Street from F Street NW to Maryland Avenue SW

5th Street from D Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

4th Street from D Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

3rd Street from D Street NW to Independence Avenue SW

Capitol Hill: Road closures on Capitol Hill will be instituted by the U.S. Capitol Police in cooperation with the Metropolitan Police Department. Access to the perimeter will be restricted to properly authorized and credentialed personnel only. No public parking will be provided. The following street closures will go into effect starting at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2009:

Louisiana Avenue between Columbus Circle and Constitution Avenue NW

Delaware Avenue between Columbus Circle and D Street NE

First Street between Columbus Circle and D Street NE

North Capitol Street NW between E Street and Louisiana Avenue

E Street between New Jersey Avenue and North Capitol Street NW

New Jersey Avenue NW between E Street and Louisiana Avenue NW

D Street between Louisiana Avenue NW and Second Street NE

First Street NW between D Street NW and Louisiana Avenue NW

C Street NW between First Street and Louisiana Avenue NW

Second Street NW between C Street and Constitution Avenue NW

Second Street NE between Massachusetts Avenue NE and C Street SE

C Street SE between Second Street SE and First Street SE

First Street SE between C Street and D Street SE

D Street between First Street SE and Washington Avenue SW

Washington Avenue SW between D Street SW, and Independence Avenue SW

Independence Avenue SW between Second Street SW and Third Street NW

Third Street between SW Freeway and Constitution Avenue NW

Constitution Avenue NW between Second Street NW and Third Street NW

Streets will reopen once the parade concludes at 5 p.m.

Public Transportation

Public transportation to all Inaugural events is encouraged as many streets in and around the Capitol and the Mall area and bridges into/out of the city will be closed to private automobiles for much of the day.

Metrorail will operate rush hour service for 17 consecutive hours on January 20, from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will operate on a non-rush hour schedule for two extra hours until 2 a.m. As Metrorail will be operating rush-hour service, it will charge peak fares throughout the day. Due to security measures, the Archives-Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter Metrorail station on Metro's Green and Yellow Lines and the Smithsonian Metrorail station on the Blue and Orange lines, will be closed all day on Inauguration Day, Tuesday, January 20.

Metro’s commemorative One-Day Pass with a special Inauguration design is currently being sold for $10 online or $7.80 at Metro sales offices and fare vending machines. The cost of the passes will be $10 at all sales locations on January 20. People should purchase their farecards, One-Day Passes or SmarTrip cards in advance of Inauguration Day if possible to avoid the lines.

Metro has about 60,000 parking spaces in 29 lots and 22 garages throughout the Washington region for private motorists to park on Inauguration Day. Metro will charge $4 cash only for motorists as they pull in to park in its lots. The Minnesota Avenue Metrorail station parking lot is closed to the public and is only available for Metro employees who will be working on Inauguration Day.

Metrobus will be operating on a modified Saturday schedule from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Inauguration Day. However, with street closures around the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue for the parade, all Metrobuses will be prepared for detours. Bus riders are encouraged to plan significant extra time to travel through these areas.

MetroAccess will operate identical hours to Metrorail and Metrobus during Inauguration Weekend and through Inauguration Day. MetroAccess customers are encouraged to plan significant extra time to travel due to increased traffic throughout the service area. Street closures around the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue for the Inauguration and parade on Inauguration Day will mean that MetroAccess vehicles will only be able to drop off customers several blocks from the Inauguration and parade route. MetroAccess vehicles will not be permitted access to streets that are closed. All MetroAccess users should be prepared for detours. MetroAccess customers must reserve their trips by 4:30 p.m. the day prior to travel.

People planning to use Metro during the four days of Inaugural activities can sign up for special e-alerts on Metro’s Web site at www.wmata.com/inauguration. E-alerts will be issued when Metro has news relating to service for the Inauguration and when there may be service disruptions.

Pedestrian RoutesThe following access points have been identified as pedestrian-only routes to the National Mall:

Bicycle ParkingFree valet bicycle parking will be provided in designated areas north and south of the event perimeter. Additional information may be found at www.gettingthere.dc.gov.

Inaugural BallsThere will be 10 official Inaugural balls, hosted at the Washington Convention Center, the National Building Museum, Union Station, the D.C. Armory and the Washington Hilton. Emergency No Parking zones and some road closures will be in effect near each of these locations.

Parade Route Entry PointsThe following 13 public entry points will open at 7:00 a.m. on January 20, 2009, and will remain open until the parade route can no longer accommodate additional people. A map detailing entry point locations can be viewed here.

2nd Street NW and C Street NW

3rd Street NW and C Street NW

Indiana Avenue NW between 6th St NW and 7th St NW

7th Street NW and D Street NW

10th Street NW and E Street NW

12th Street NW and E Street NW

E Street NW just east of 13th Street NW

13th Street NW just North of E Street NW

14th Street NW just North of E Street NW

12th Street NW between Constitution Avenue. and Pennsylvania Avenue

10th Street NW between Constitution Avenue. and Pennsylvania Avenue

7th Street NW between Constitution Avenue. and Pennsylvania Avenue

Constitution Avenue between 6th Street NW and 7th Street NW

NOTE: Access to the parade route from south of Pennsylvania Avenue, including the National Mall area, will only be available via 14th Street NW or 12th Street NW at Constitution Avenue.

All parade route security screening entry points will be able to accommodate persons with disabilities. There are additional screening entry points for the ticketed seating at the U.S. Capitol and the White House viewing areas. Details for the swearing-in at the Capitol are available at www.inaugural.senate.gov.

Individuals attending the Inaugural parade may enter at any of the designated entry points on the north or south side of Pennsylvania Avenue. Between 7 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., the following intersections will be open to the general public as crossover points:

3rd Street between Constitution Ave and Pennsylvania Avenue

Pennsylvania Ave between 6th Street NW and 7th Street NW

Pennsylvania Ave between 11th Street NW and 12th Street NW

Online InformationAdditional information is available online for residents of the District, Virginia and Maryland, as well as charter operators, through the following websites:

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I am staying at a friend's apartment who lives in one of the restricted pedestrian areas. She will not be able to escort me in and out of the area. What should I do to gain access to her apartment without a local ID?